[AmigaCD] Genetic Species - .LHA (for real Amiga users)

[DamienD]

Heya liviux76,

Appreciate you testing

You system isn't one that I've personally tested with, see post #37...

I guess if using RTG, I imagine you would need to:

... Install RTGMaster and possibly RTGMaster PIP Sublibrary (if you want this feature).
... Install any required libs / drivers for the graphics card that you use. In your case, cybergraphics stuff.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by liviux76

Yesterday I tried the game and it worked flawlessly except for the warning about the RTG library before starting the game.

...not that I'll be able to help with this, but can you post the error my friend? Others may be able to advise further.

Originally Posted by liviux76

I've installed the RTG libraries but nothing changed so I started snoopdos before starting the game and it seems that the game "fails" when searching for cybergraphics.library.

I checked the full CD-ROM and latest update again tonight.

In the above two, there is no "cybergraphics.library" files included...

You could try grabbing one of these and installing (but don't quote me, I'm no expert in this area):

... CGraphX223u.lha
... CGraphX224u.lha
... CGraphX225u.lha

[DamienD]

@liviux76

From the GENETIC SPECIES V4605 Engine Update file, I did leave out "True" (and of course "CDDA"). The "ReadMe!" says the following:

* Genetic Species goes true colour, that means 16777216 colours per pixel.
  The human eye recognizes about 14 million colours but you'll get 2 million
  extra! You'll need a graphics board, 14 MB and to doubleclick the
  (True) icon to precompute the new alpha tables.

...not sure if extracting this file to where you extracted "Genetics/" to and then running this before starting the game makes any difference?

[liviux76]

Hi DamienD,
Thanks for your tips!
I haven't had time to test them, I was quite busy, in any case the "warning" I receive says exactly this: "No appropriate screen modes available! Have you installed the RTG libraries in LIBS:rtg".

I installed the package rtgmaster_user.lha with the same result.
As I said snoopdos shows that the game is looking for a library called cybergraphics.library, I'll see if the warning disappears installing that library.

I'll let you know how it goes!
Thanks again!

[AMIGASYSTEM]

-------------- Italiano ------------

Per avviare Genetic Species RTG devi avere un sistema RTG ben configurato e aggiornare il gioco con "GSAddOns".
Potrai avviare il gioco solo se setti una risoluzione a 8Bit, potrai scegliere risoluzioni più elevate ma Genetic Species internamente non va oltre il 640x480. Se scegli una risoluzione a 24Bit uscirà un errore "Device External: Is not Assigned Or A file Missing", guarda video esaustivo.

-------------- English ------------

To start Genetic Species RTG You have to have a well configured RTG system, you have to update the game with "GSAddOns""GSAddOns"
You can only start it you can only start the game if you set the resolution to 8Bit, you can choose higher resolutions, but Genetic Species internally does not go beyond the 640x480. If you choose a 24Bit resolution there will be an error "Device External: Is not Assigned Or A file Missing" see video Exhaustive.

WinUAE AFA OS: Genetic Species RTG
[ Show youtube player ]

[liviux76]

@AMIGASYSTEM
Thanks for your explanation.

I don't understand why I receive that message, I don't have an RTG system and I just double click on the game Icon.

As said the game starts and works flawlessly except for that warning message that appears just after the intro screen and the "Vulcan" logo. As soon as I close the warning window the game menu appears correctly and I can play the game.

[DamienD]

Did you try installing any of these liviux76?

Originally Posted by DamienD

You could try grabbing one of these and installing (but don't quote me, I'm no expert in this area):

... CGraphX223u.lha
... CGraphX224u.lha
... CGraphX225u.lha

[liviux76]

Originally Posted by DamienD

Did you try installing any of these liviux76?

Not yet my friend but I will later this evening and I'll let you know how it goes.

[liviux76]

No way my friend, I always get that warning message.

The thing that I don't understand is why the game "thinks" that I have a graphic card when I have an AGA based system with an Indivision AGA MK2.

In the setting I select "AGA" and if I try "RTG or Video Card" (now I don't remember exactly how it is called) it correctly says that I don't have a graphic card.

I'm certainly doing something wrong but I don't understand what...

[DamienD]

I'm really not sure and out of ideas my friend

If you don't actually have a graphics card in your Amiga then you shouldn't be prompted with this. The latest patch "ReadMe!" file says (important stuff related to this situation in bold / red):

  _Date_13/05-1999_____________
/                             \
- G-E-N-E-T-I-C S-P-E-C-I-E-S -
\_____________________________/
 _____________________________
/                             \

"GeneticSpecies.Exe" (Ver 4605)
-------------------------------
* Genetic Species goes PIP! That means you can play your favorite
  game in a window on your workbench desktop. To do this you need 
  the "Picture In Picture" sublibrary for the rtgmaster API and a
  Picasso IV, CyberVision or CyberVision3D graphics board.
  It possibly also works on the Merlin and the Retina Z3, but we
  are not sure about this.
* The Savegame Format has been changed due to a graphical error on the
  every last level of the game. However if you write "PROTOTYPE"
  as levelcode, you'll begin from the start of the last level.
* Genetic Species goes true colour, that means 16777216 colours per pixel.
  The human eye recognizes about 14 million colours but you'll get 2 million
  extra! You'll need a graphics board, 14 MB and to doubleclick the
  (True) icon to precompute the new alpha tables.
* Press Escape at any time and get a list of selections.
* A 640x480 mode is now available for graphics board users, the
  base image is calculated in 320x240 and then scaled to 640x480
  using bilinear interpolation for maximum speed. However a 640x480
  image is 4 times as many pixels as in 320x240, so don't expect
  more than 5 fps on a 060/50.
* RTG window will now only appear for user with a graphics board.
* The display window in large CyberGfx screens will now be centred.
* This Engine now recognises any CD device driver and any unit number.

"GSAddOns" Directory
--------------------
The GSAddOns directory can be placed anywhere on your Hard Drive.
Its sole purpose in life is to house all the future language files,
patches and expansion files for Genetic Species CDRom.

"Engine" & "Genetics"
---------------------
The "Engine" & "Genetics" icons will automatically assign EXTERNAL to the
location of your "GSAddOns" directory, which allows the game to use all
existing files in this directory in preference to those on the CDRom.

From now on just make sure that the Genetic Species CDRom is in your
drive before using these "Engine" & "Genetics" icons to run the game.

"CDDA"
------
This utility will allow you to configure Genetic Species to recognise
your own CD device driver so the CD Audio Music can be triggered, just
make sure that "CD Music" and "Multitask" options are both switched on.

\________________________________________________________________
                                                                 \
Keep Checking the official Genetic Species Pages for more updates.\
                                                                   \
  Marble-Eyes Development: www.marble-eyes.dk                       \
  Vulcan Software Limited: www.vulcan.co.uk                          \
 _______________________________________________
/                                               \
- Still haven't got the Genetic Species CD-Rom? -
-                  ORDER NOW!                   -
- U.K. Credit Card Hotline +44 (0)1162 463 800  -
\_______________________________________________/

I know it's not much help but it works fine with the latest patch here in WinUAE and I don't get this issue...

Tested on:

a) Standard Workbench 3.1.
b) Classic Workbench 3.1 Lite

Am using this configuration:

CPU = 68030
Chipset = AGA
RAM = 2MB Chip and 32MB Z3 Fast

[AMIGASYSTEM]

La cybergraphics.library viene richiesta su tutti i giochi dove è prevista anche questa modalità di gioco, anche se installi le librerie RTG queste saranno ignorate se non hai un sistema RTG. Se a te compare il messaggio con la richiesta della cybergraphics.library può essere che tu hai un savataggio con una risoluzione RTG, verifica se hai un file di nome "RtgScreenMode.prefs" e cancellalo, che sistema Amga stai usando?

----------- english --------------

The cybergraphics.library Is required on all games where this mode of play is also planned, even if you install RTG libraries these will be ignored if you do not have a RTG system. If you see the message with the request of cybergraphics.library it may be that you have a rescue with a resolution RTG, check if you have a name file "RtgScreenMode.prefs" or similar and delete it, which operating system Amiga you are using?

[DamienD]

Interesting AMIGASYSTEMS, cheers for your analysis

I've searched the .LHA package and there is no "RtgScreenMode.prefs" present anywhere so it must be on liviux76's system for some reason.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Come puoi vedere dal video in allegato, ho eseguito una configurazione RTG su un sistema Amiga OS 3.9 e Genetic Species si è avviato senza alcun messaggio !

--------------- English --------------

As you can see from the attached video, i have run a configuration RTG on an Amiga system OS 3.9 and Genetic Species it started without any message !


Genetic Species PAL
[ Show youtube player ]


@DamienD
No Damiano, that file is created when you save the configuration RTG !

This is the content file "RtgScreenMode.prefs":
$$$RTG-Mode-Prefs$$$
1342443520
800 600 8
14

[Gzegzolka]

Great work with this game DamienD
I have just one question, probably silly one. I have noticed that You have only three slots for guns/items. Is it possible to leave on ground items/guns from inventory?

[DamienD]

Heya Gzegzolka,

No problem at all

I take it that you had no issues with the .LHA package then (just like me).

Are you using WinUAE or a real Amiga?

If a real Amiga what OS and specs do you have out of interest?

Originally Posted by Gzegzolka

I have just one question, probably silly one. I have noticed that You have only three slots for guns/items. Is it possible to leave on ground items/guns from inventory?

...not sure about this, haven't played long enough as yet to even collect any guns

There's lots of info on HOL, try looking at the Manual section for possible clues

[Gzegzolka]

I use winuae with classicwb configuration. I was playing for first two floors and do not notice any problems.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Gzegzolka

I use winuae with classicwb configuration. I was playing for first two floors and do not notice any problems.

Cool, no problems for me with Classic WB 3.1 Lite either

The issues reported by AMIGASYSTEM & liviux76 are when starting the game. They are both using OS 3.9; one using emulation and the other on a real Amiga...

OS 3.9 something that I personally will never touch so can't test further.

[AmigaBill]

Thanks a million for this Damien D! I have not delved deep into the game, but I didn't have any problems running it on my real A1200. I don't have any graphic cards in the machine, just an 030 accelerator with 16MB RAM, Kickstart and Workbench 3.1 running off a partitioned 4GB CF card. Thanks so much for all your efforts. The Big Red Adventure looks great as well. I only played a few minutes, but it is a game I can get into for sure!

[DamienD]

Perfect, thanks for testing on your real A1200 AmigaBill. Appreciate it and very glad to hear that you had no issues also

[liviux76]

Ok, probably I have some wrong file(s) somewhere and the game "thinks" that I have a video card.

I've tried deleting a few .prefs files on my "Env-Archive:" directory but I ended up having issues with my screenmode (fortunately I backed the compact flash up before making any changes).

I think that I can live with that "warning message"...
Thanks for your help amigasystem and, of course, DamienD